Canucks & Beyond
Battle Plans for ‘Disney Gone Bad’
by Alanah McGinley on 04/25/07 at 10:40 AM ET
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A multi-media experience today… The Crazy Canucks podcast recorded a new episode last night. The whole group got together, basked a bit longer in the joy of winning the first round, then moved on to look at the new series against the Anaheim Ducks, starting tonight.
Canucks and Ducks Series
Anaheim vs Vancouver - Game #1
7pm CBC
I’ve not thought enough about Anaheim yet, but the image that immediately leaps to mind this morning is ‘bloodshed’. Geezus, is this going to be a tough series.
Where the Dallas Stars were a very similar team, evenly matched against Vancouver, Disney Gone Bad is a completely different animal: they’re like the old Canucks… but on methamphetamines. A seemingly-unglued bunch in some ways, with the league lead in penalty minutes which makes them punishing to play against. But they’re more than scrappers, too. Defense, offense, fight, team chemistry… they’ve got it all.
GM Brian Burke has a consistent vision for his teams - he wants his hockey with a kick and that’s what he’s created. He designed a similar brand of hockey in Vancouver, but that has since been undone and revamped. The new Canucks have defense and goaltending. Not as exciting? No, but I was still pleasantly surprised that the past season gave us some great games. There’ve been some sleepers, for sure (*I was married to the nickname Minnesota North Nucks for the first 3 months of the season, if you recall) but they’ve got some style, too, which made many games fun to watch. (Sort of like the Wild could be, if only Marian Gaborik were healthy for more than 3 games a season).
But that being said, the Ducks owned us this year.
I can’t remember much from the season’s games against Anaheim now, but our 1-3 record against them isn’t as bad as it seems on the surface. Certainly, the first couple losses were at the Ducks’ hottest part of the season, while the Canucks were still forging a drastically new identity. Things have changed since then.
In my opinion, the key for the Canucks in Disneyland is defense, and that D will have to be nearly perfect to manufacture four wins. All season against the Ducks, the Canucks were at the mercy of that gang of frighteningly effective forwards (Kunitz, Selanne, McDonald, Penner, Getzlaf, Perry… God, that’s a lot of “frighteningly effective forwards” to name) who were able to fire at will on Vancouver’s net minders. For the one win we earned against the Ducks this season, Sabourin had to play brilliantly, stopping 38 pucks on 40 shots.
That’s not the kind of D that Vancouver can afford to bring if they want to get out of this series alive.
The Ducks are too talented at scoring and physical play to let them control the puck in the offensive zone at will. Our usually-solid blueliners have been handily undressed by them a few times, and I think the key is going to be found in the neutral zone; killing their offensive rush at the line, before they have a chance to set up or rush the net. And then converting those turnovers with our own determined forecheck.
Can it be done? Well, sure. The Ducks are a great team, as well as a great team to watch, and their fans have a right to feel cocky. But they’ve got weaknesses, too. Their less-stellar second half of the season proved that they’re human, that they can be beaten. That they can come unglued.
If the Canucks powerplay is working, if the Canucks work ethic in general is determined and strong, if Roberto Luongo is ready to make a name for himself in this 2nd round, then they can win this series in 7 games.
(Also, it wouldn’t hurt if someone broke Chris Pronger’s foot again… not that I’m suggesting anything.)
Go Canucks!
Now, enjoy this homage to Ducks’ goalie Ilya Bryzgalov... a freakin’ classic, if ever there was one.
Filed in: playoff hockey, vancouver canucks | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
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About Canucks & Beyond
Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003 (with a notable gap in time through 2010, kicking it with new baby Lucy while living knee-deep in chaos while reading “parenting for complete idiots” during every spare minute) sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen.
In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah was one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast. She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York Times Slapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.
So that’s me. Who the hell are you? 
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Alanah’s Twitter: [@alanah1]
